The Interplay of Self‐Certainty and Prosocial Development in the Transition from Late Adolescence to Emerging Adulthood

The transition from late adolescence to emerging adulthood is a period of the life span that offers young people the possibility to consolidate their self‐certainty and prosociality. Both aspects are of core importance for increasing personal and societal well‐being. The purpose of this longitudinal study was twofold: (i) to examine patterns of change and stability in self‐concept clarity and prosociality; and (ii) to unravel over time associations between these constructs in the transition from late adolescence to emerging adulthood. In addressing both aims, we explored the moderating effects of gender. Participants were 244 Dutch emerging adults (46% male; mean age at T1 = 16.73 years) who completed six waves of data collection (mean age at T6 = 22.7 years). Findings highlighted that (i) self‐concept clarity developed nonlinearly, with an initial decline from T1 to T2 followed by an increase thereafter, while prosociality increased linearly over time and both self‐concept clarity and prosociality were characterized by high rank‐order consistency; (ii) self‐concept clarity and prosociality were positively related over time, with the effect of prosociality on self‐concept clarity being stronger than the reciprocal effect of self‐concept clarity on prosociality. Gender differences were detected in mean levels of self‐concept clarity and prosociality (male participants reported higher self‐concept clarity and lower prosociality than female participants) but not in their developmental pathways nor in their reciprocal associations. Copyright © 2016 European Association of Personality Psychology     

How positive processes function in negative relationships: Dispositional gratitude moderates the association between affective need and frequency of dating violence victimization

Evidence indicates that dispositional gratitude may improve romantic relationships by reinforcing positive emotions between partners and by increasing awareness of affective needs, such as receiving emotional support, nurturance, and reassurance. However, little research has investigated the influence of gratitude on relationships characterized by violence. In the present study, participants (N = 421) completed a cross-sectional survey of experiences with dating violence, dispositional gratitude, and affective need. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Among individuals with lower rates of dispositional gratitude, higher levels of affective need were associated with lower frequency of dating violence victimization. However, among individuals with higher rates of dispositional gratitude, there was no evidence to suggest an association between affective need and frequency of victimization. These preliminary findings compel further investigation of how positive processes impact the perceived qualities of negative romantic relationships.     

Stressful life events and predictors of post-traumatic growth among high-risk early emerging adults

Stressful life events (SLEs) may elicit positive psychosocial change among youth, referred to as post-traumatic growth (PTG). We assessed types of SLEs experienced, degree to which participants reported PTG, and variables predicting PTG across 24 months among a sample of high-risk, ethnically diverse, early emerging adults. Participants were recruited from alternative high schools (n = 564; mean age = 16.8; 65% Hispanic). Multi-level regression models were constructed to examine the impact of environmental (SLE quantity, severity) and personal factors (hedonic ability, perceived stress, developmental stage, future time orientation) on a composite score of PTG. The majority of participants reported that positive changes resulted from their most life-altering SLE of the past two years. Predictors of PTG included fewer SLEs, less general stress, having a future time perspective, and greater identification with the developmental stage of emerging adulthood. Findings suggest intervention targets to foster positive adaptation among early emerging adults who experience frequent SLEs.     

Purpose in life in emerging adulthood: Development and validation of a new brief measure

Accruing evidence points to the value of studying purpose in life across adolescence and emerging adulthood. Research though is needed to understand the unique role of purpose in life in predicting well-being and developmentally relevant outcomes during emerging adulthood. The current studies (total n = 669) found support for the development of a new brief measure of purpose in life using data from American and Canadian samples, while demonstrating evidence for two important findings. First, purpose in life predicted well-being during emerging adulthood, even when controlling for the Big Five personality traits. Second, purpose in life was positively associated with self-image and negatively associated with delinquency, again controlling for personality traits. Findings are discussed with respect to how studying purpose in life can help understand which individuals are more likely to experience positive transitions into adulthood.     

Psychosocial discontinuities introduced by the new reproductive technologies

The introduction of the new reproductive technologies has brought about a separation of the experience of reproduction from a previously necessary act of sexual intercourse between a fertile male and a fertile female. This has brought in its train the need for new ways of thinking about the relationship between procreation, reproduction and parenting. Psychosocial research into child–parent, male–female and kin relationships resulting from the use of the new reproductive technologies has value both in terms of its own intrinsic interest and also in terms of insights provided into what has been traditionally portrayed as the ‘normal’ reproductive process. This contribution to the Special Issue serves as a general introduction to the topic by presenting a ‘discontinuity’ model intended to provide a context in which psychosocial research into the provision and use of the new reproductive technologies could be explored. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

人类辅助生殖技术中的诊疗策略及伦理

人类辅助生殖技术是医学领域的一门新兴学科,随着此项技术的逐步成熟,也伴随着出现了各种诊疗及伦理问题。探讨对不孕症夫妇诊疗过程中的心理关怀与策略、人类辅助生殖技术治疗过程中的诊疗策略及其引起的伦理及相关法律等问题,认为在实施此项技术的过程中需要更规范、合理和人性化的诊疗策略。     

From da Vinci to CAD and beyond

Here what I would like to accomplish is to set something of the stage from which the growing recognition of what I shall now term technoscience’s visualism—a term which can accommodate both sciences and engineering, and both imaging and design practices—takes its recognition. I shall very briefly look at the ‘godfathers and peers’ who help set this stage, and then proceed to an examination of a few moments in the development of visualism from da Vinci to computer assisted design (CAD) and beyond.     

Korean College Students' Personal Perception of Emerging Adulthood and Its Relations with Identity,Psychiatric Symptoms,Smartphone Problems,and Alcohol Problems

Emerging adulthood has recently become one of the hottest topics in the field of adult development, yet the variabilities in the experience of emerging adulthood need further examination. The present study focused on two factors that contribute to the variations of emerging adulthood: first, the impact of personal perception about adulthood; and second, information about Korean college students' identity maturity, depression, anxiety, smartphone problems, and alcohol-related problems. Data from 211 Korean college students indicated that subjective perception of reaching adulthood was significantly related to identity maturity, depression, and anxiety, even after the impacts of chronological age and sex were controlled. Smartphone problems and alcohol-related problems were not associated with the perception of adulthood. These results suggest that the subjective interpretation of reaching adulthood might be more important than chronological age in terms of relationships with psychological well-being.     

Odysseans of the Twenty-First Century

In his book Radical Evolution: The Promise and Peril of Enhancing Our Minds, Our Bodies—and What It Means to Be Human (2005), author-journalist Joel Garreau identifies four technologies whose synergistic activity may transform humankind into a state transcending present human nature: genetic, robotic, information, and nano (GRIN) technologies. If the GRIN technologies follow Moore's Law, as information technology has done for the past four decades, Homo sapiens and human society may be unimaginably different before the middle of this century. But among scientists, futurists, and other pundits there is no agreement on the nature and ramifications of this transformation. Based on dozens of interviews, Garreau sees three possible scenarios for our species. The Heaven Scenario foresees enhanced bodies and minds in a disease-free world, perhaps even immortality; the Hell Scenario warns of losing our identity as a biological entity and perhaps the demise of liberal democracy; the Prevail Scenario predicts that we will muddle through the GRIN technology revolution basically intact, as we have prevailed during past technological upheavals. In this review, these scenarios are examined in the context of Kuhn's “normal” versus “extraordinary” science and in the context of current understanding about gene function.     

Dragon Training and Changing Culture: A Review of DreamWorks' How to Train Your Dragon

DreamWorks' How to Train Your Dragon is an animated coming-of-age story in which the hero uses behavioral techniques to befriend and then to train an adversary. This movie provides an example of the successful dissemination of behavioral principles and technologies to the general population. Although it does not represent best practices in every instance, the movie may be an indication of a broader social acceptance of behavioral approaches to conflict resolution.